Foreign banks target Chinese trusts

J.P.Morgan Chase (JPM.NYSE) purchased a 19.9% stake in Henan-based trust company Bridge Trust for an undisclosed amount this week, joining a growing group of foreign lenders that are buying into trust companies and other unconventional investments, The Wall Street Journal reported. Barclays (BARC.LSS), Macquarie (MQG.ASX), and Royal Bank of Scotland have also announced investments in Chinese trust companies, which offer a wider range of services than traditional banks, acting as asset managers for the wealthy and lending to private business. Trust companies have grown rapidly in recent years as more wealthy investors eschew volatile stock markets and low-yielding bank deposits; their assets under management grew 37% in 2011 to over US$760 billion, according to the China Trustee Association. The deal is subject to approval from the China Banking Regulatory Commission, which limits foreign investment in trust companies to 20%.

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